CD Municipal Gorbea 71 – 65 Las Animas SAESA | Chile Liga SAESA

CD Municipal Gorbea secured an important home victory on May 25, 2026, defeating Las Animas SAESA 71–65 in the Liga SAESA. The match, played at the Gimnasio Municipal de Gorbea, saw the hosts overcome a slow start to dominate the second half and claim their fifth win of the season.

Match Summary

Las Animas SAESA came out firing, hitting four three‑pointers in the first quarter to take a 22–15 lead. Gorbea’s defense struggled to contain the perimeter shooting of Las Animas guard Sebastián Vega, who scored 12 points in the opening period. However, the home team adjusted in the second quarter by switching to a 3‑2 zone, which disrupted Las Animas’ rhythm and allowed Gorbea to cut the deficit to 36–34 at halftime.

The third quarter belonged entirely to CD Municipal Gorbea. Forward Diego Muñoz imposed his will in the paint, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds in the period. Gorbea outscored Las Animas 22–11 in the third, building a nine‑point lead heading into the final frame. Las Animas made a late push, closing within three points with two minutes left, but Muñoz answered with a key putback and a blocked shot on the defensive end to secure the victory.

Standout Players

• Diego Muñoz (Gorbea): 19 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks – a double‑double that anchored both ends of the floor.
• Felipe Contreras (Gorbea): 14 points and 7 assists, orchestrating the offense with patience and smart decision‑making.
• Sebastián Vega (Las Animas): 22 points (5‑of‑8 from three), but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter as Gorbea’s defense keyed in on him.

Tactical Story

The game highlighted the importance of defensive adjustments. Gorbea head coach Manuel Rojas credited the zone defense for slowing down Las Animas’ pick‑and‑roll action. “We knew they wanted to run their sets through Vega,” Rojas said after the game. “Once we took away his looks, we controlled the tempo.” Conversely, Las Animas struggled to score inside, shooting just 38% from two‑point range. Gorbea also dominated the glass (42‑30 rebounding advantage), which led to 14 second‑chance points.

Standings Context

With the win, CD Municipal Gorbea improves to 5–7 in the Liga SAESA, climbing into the middle of the pack. Las Animas falls to 6–6, still within striking distance of the top four. The result also marks Gorbea’s third consecutive home win, establishing the Gimnasio Municipal as a tough venue for visiting teams.

Both clubs return to action on May 27, with Gorbea traveling to CD Valdivia and Las Animas hosting CD Osorno Basic.